Eastbound lanes of the Stu Hart Memorial Bridge opened to drivers on Tuesday. The bridge on Highway 8, west of Calgary, crosses the Elbow River. It’s named after the man who started Stampede Wrestling back in 1948. “Naming this bridge after Stu Hart recognizes the incredible legacy he and his family built right here in Calgary, and this bridge will serve as a lasting tribute to a family that has helped put Calgary on the map,” said Devin Dreeshen, Alberta’s minister of transportation and economic corridors, at Tuesday’s ribbon cutting ceremony. Stampede Wrestling launched the careers of professional wrestlers like Bret “The Hitman” Hart, Owen Hart, Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy Smith and Jim Neidhart, among others. Bret Hart and several of his family members attended the opening on Tuesday. “It’s a special day for all of us,” Bret said. “We all love the fact that they named a bridge after my dad. Because that’s what he stood for — he stood for being strong. “I think he would be truly honoured and it would mean a lot to him.” The westbound bridge opened to traffic in 2021 as part of the southwest Calgary ring road. Construction of the eastbound section of the bridge began last year. Both bridges are part of the Highway 8 twinning project between the west Calgary ring road and Lott Creek Boulevard.
